More Healthy Cooking Desserts

I've enjoyed my mother's pudding for as long as I can remember. She and I revised it, using a sugar substitute and reduced-fat ingredients. With its meringue-like top and soft vanilla wafer layer, it's a Southern dessert at its fines.—

"We often prepare this yummy dessert for company," Ellen Thompson shares from Springfield, Ohio. Just five ingredients are all that's needed for the creamy, chocolate- and peanut-flavored sensation. And best of all? "It's easy to take just the portion you want and freeze the rest for later," suggests Ellen.

You won't miss the fat one bit when you slice into this spicy pumpkin pie with its golden crust and creamy filling. Sharon Haugen of Fargo, North Dakota shares the recipe for her lightened-up twist on a Thanksgiving classic.

The L&T editors adored Lyn Chapman's crispy spice cookies so much, that they asked the Test Kitchen to create a light creamy frosting to go with them. "My husband loves ginger snaps and gingerbread," Lyn writes from Provo, Utah. "He was delighted when I made these cookies since they offered a ginger flavor but with a new twist." At only 1 gram of fat a piece, the whimsical treats make an ideal addition to a Christmas cookie platter or New Year's dessert buffet.

"Simple and refreshing, this dressed-up sherbet is a real treat in the heat of summer," assures Rhonda Robertson of Casper, Wyoming. "I often serve it on special occasions, too, and in late winter, when everyone's eager for spring. With only four ingredients, it's a breeze to make."

"We discovered Italian ice about a year ago, and it has become a family favorite," reports Jay Hansen of Winter Haven, Florida. "The recipes I found, however, required quite a bit of sugar, so I developed my own version using fresh strawberries, fruit juice concentrate and a hint of lemon."

Lots of moist, fruity flavor and nutty crunch give these sweet/spicy bites a
kind of gumdrop richness. They make a delicious addition to cookie trays. Sneak one early—they’ll be gone before you can lick the sugar off your fingers!
—CORLEEN HEIDGERKEN, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN